xoxo
by D.T. Mars
Summary: Ah-dap-tay-shon. It was easy for her.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:** _Yup, here's another one. A.K.A.: the reason why none of my other stories have been updated. *_sheepish laugh_* Oops. But with so much going on in my life right now, I needed to let some steam out. _xoxo_ has always been really interesting to me, simply because it looks _super_ cute at the end of text messages. According to Wikipedia (ha!), the term is used show sincerity, faith, love, or good friendship. Or some sappy shit like that.

ANYWAY.

I was going to make this a massive one-shot, but I decided against it because this is the first time that I've ever _really_ written something from the woman's perspective. For some strange reason, I find it easier to write from the man's perspective.

Let me just tell you this: I cannot gush _enough_ about how much _fun_ this was. I hope that you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

_Disclaimer: _This is a fanfiction website._ *crickets* _Haha!

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><p><em>Ah-dap-tay-shon. It was easy for her.<em>

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><p>xoxo<p>

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><p>Chapter One<p>

_**.**_

Adaptation (n.) - a change or the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment.

It is arguably the crux of civilization, adaptation is - the _core_.

How else are people able to survive such volatile and unpredictable weather with each changing season? How else is it possible for humans to fly in airplanes or drive through tunnels, and not have their heads combust due to the popping of their eardrums? How else are humans able to discover new cultures, infiltrate foreign societies and learn different languages?

Ah-dap-_tay_-shon.

Learning how to adapt was easy for Raven. She had been doing it all her life, after all, from the day she had been born. And this was a necessity. She was the daughter of a ruthless and all-powerful demon bent on world domination,_ the _ultimate source of evil, and was unfortunate enough to inherit some of his magic. His _dark_ magic.

She had the power of telepathy and telekinesis. She had the power to cast the most wicked, sinister and disastrous spells. She had the ability to cast _herself_ into people, into their brains and souls, and make them go _insane_. And the control over such volatile powers was linked to one thing: her emotions.

She could not get too happy. She could not get too sad. She could not get too excited. She could not get too mad. She could not _afford to feel too much of anything__._ And if she did?

Poof. Shatter. _Kaboom_.

So she would meditate. Constantly. Day in and day out. Whenever and where ever she could, because she could not risk it. She would force herself to remain calm, _train_ herself to remain _absolutely_ calm no matter what the situation was.

It was absolutely integral to Raven's survival that she learned to adapt. She was dangerous.

And she was on a teenage, crime-fighting team of superheroes.

As the only human of the team, it was not strange that Robin would be wary of them all. Cyborg was a bionic man, fully equipped with an interchangeable sonic canon for an arm and a computerized brain that could find information faster than the speed of light. Starfire was an alien princess with the gift of flight, the ability to shoot bolts from her eyes and fists, and the strength of millions of men hidden underneath her lithe physique. Beast Boy had the ability to change into any animal in the world, both known and unknown.

But _Raven was dangerous, _and the young leader had always been just _a touch _more watchful over her than he was over the others.

Once he learned of the extent of her powers, he did not kick her off of the team. He did not send her away, telling her that her presence on the team was detrimental to the city and to the rest of her teammates. Instead, he began to check in on her. Quite frequently, at that.

His excuse?

_"I'm your leader. It's my job to look after you."_

Of course it was his job to look after her. It was his job to step in whenever Beast Boy's jokes got a little too out of hand, or whenever Starfire invaded her space without meaning to. It was his job to make sure that she was in a good place, both mentally and emotionally. And it had only become his job because he was afraid of what her powers could do, afraid of _her_, and she was sure that this was the only reason he assigned her to be his second-in-command.

This was not cynicism, and Raven was not insulted. She was used to it. She was used to people being afraid of her and her powers. She was used to being constantly checked on just in case her emotions would cause her powers to run amok. She was used to there always being an_ agenda_. So, she allowed Robin to do his little checkups and allowed him to ask his little questions because _it was his job_, and she did what she always did.

She _adapted_.

_**.**_

Upon joining the Teen Titans, Raven fought _evil _villains, and they all paled in comparison to the true evil of Trigon the Terrible. She helped to protect and defend a city that seemed to be prone to crime. She_ helped_ people. She used her powers for _good,_ something that she never would have thought possible with the knowledge of her heritage and impending future looming at the back of her head. And along the way, the unexpected happened: she made friends. These friends, her teammates, became her family.

She attended car shows with Cyborg and he even let her work on the official T-car with him. She found a sister in Starfire, one who _insisted_ on trips to the mall, girl talks, and eating anything and everything with mustard. She discussed books, movies and poetry with Robin, and found in him a match for her intellect when playing board or word games. She even indulged in Beast Boy's jokes, because even she had to admit - not to him - that some of them were_ pretty _funny.

This was not something that she was used to, this... _camaraderie_. It made her feel strange, not a bad strange, but a _good_ sort of strange. Raven could not show it very much, but this made her_ happy_. She was _glad_ to be fighting evil villains, protecting a city prone to crime, and using her powers for good and helping people with her family. It was wonderful.

Until Slade returned.

Of all the villains the team had faced, Slade was undoubtably and undeniably the _worst_. He was the most intimidating and the most intelligent of them all. He was always at least half a step ahead. He was the one who managed to get deep, _deep _underneath Robin's skin and into his head. And he was supposed to be gone.

None of the Titans believed it when their leader told them that their most infamous enemy had returned. But he was adamant. He was adamant in his claim that Slade was back. He was adamant in his claim that Slade had set up seismic generators at the key ports of the city. He was adamant in his claim that Slade had cooked up a diabolical scheme to split the city right in half. He was adamant in his claim that Slade was the one who beat him up so badly. He was _so_ adamant that he threatened his own teammates, his family, not to get in his way on his search for Slade.

_"I know what I saw! I have to stop him! I'm the only one who can! And I'll take down anyone who gets in my way!"_

Robin was frantic. He could not even think clearly. His emotions were all over the place, in a frenzy, and it was not long until he became so adamant that he went crazy. Possibly crazier than her powers could have _ever_ driven him.

And it was her powers, _her dark magic_, that saved him.

_**.**_

The moment that their brains had melded, and consequently formed their bond, was the same, exact moment that he began to make sense.

Raven had always been curious about her mysterious leader, as were the rest of her teammates. He was their arrogant, fearless, protective and complex commander who often forgot just how human he was much too quickly. Curiosity was only natural, especially when one considered to how many lengths he went in order to keep his past and his identity hidden from everyone - villains, teammates, and fellow heroes included.

But when she was forced to thrust herself into his mind, into_ him_, she discovered who her leader was.

His name was not Robin. Instead, he was Richard Grayson, the one and only son born to John and Mary Grayson. Together, the three of them constituted a skilled aerial act for a traveling circus:_ The Flying Graysons_. The Grayson's, talented and daring as they were, drew large crowds and dedicated fans in every city they visited. With their act, they managed to maintain a successful career up until the sudden deaths of both John and Mary.

Both had been inadvertently caught up in a heinous web of deceit, a scheme of revenge that had been plotted against the circus owner. All it took was sabotage, the pouring of acid onto their trapeze wires, and _snap_! The wires fell apart and the two aerialists plummeted to their deaths in front of a stunned crowd - and their eight year old son.

Young Richard was not confused, he knew what was happening. He had witnessed the death of both of his parents with _his own two eyes_. It happened right in front of him, and he was devastated. But Batman was right there to save the day.

The vigilante and dark knight of Gotham City, himself, took the young orphan in, and was soon revealed as the billionaire Bruce Wayne. He adopted Richard as his son, and it was not long until the two bonded over the fact that both of their parents had been murdered by criminals. Soon enough, Richard grew to be not only Bruce Wayne's son, but his ward, his protégé, and his sidekick.

Thus, _Robin, the Boy Wonder_ was born.

His history was dark, and it did not take very long for him to figure out that she knew. After all, he_ did_ study under the _world's greatest detective_. But for someone who valued privacy as much as he did, he did not threaten her to keep quiet. He was not even angry. Instead, he seemed to have accepted the melding of their brains, and in turn, sought out her companionship.

As his second-in-command, it was expected of them to spend long hours alone together. These long hours were spent looking over _special_ cases. They were spent on long and in-depth conversations concerning ethics and morals. They were spent on the deliberation and careful consideration of a case before they both ultimately decided that_ "nothing is too big or too small for the Teen Titans."_ Each time these meetings were adjourned, the leader and his right-hand woman left and went their separate ways to handle their own private affairs.

Their new bond, however, changed that.

Rather than having long, and ethical, and moral, and _boring_ discussions during their meetings, Robin seemed much more intrigued by the reality of being mentally linked with someone. Discussions about their bond turned into discussions about his past. Discussions about his past turned into discussions about her past. Discussions about her past in the meeting room turned into field trips to his favorite and secret hiding spots around the city, and vice versa. It was not long at all until their relationship flourished, and the transition from leader-comrade-friend to_ best friend_-leader-comrade was almost seamless for them.

Such a shift in their relationship unnerved her a bit. It made her stop and think twice, because this was the same boy who looked after her _because he was her leader. _Because it was a part of his job description (_Lead the Titans. Stay strong for the Titans. Look after Raven and make sure that she's happy, because once_ she_ blows up, so do _you_!_).

Now, _that_, she could openly admit was cynicism.

_"It's nice to finally have someone to talk to, y'__know?"_

_"No one told you to keep your entire life and history a secret, Boy Blunder."_

_He laughed._

Yet, as cynical as she was, she could also, and just as openly admit that it_ was_ very nice to have someone to talk to. It was nice to be able to speak openly with someone without the fear of being judged or immediately targeted as a threat. It felt good to have someone encourage her, someone who believed in her when she failed to believe in herself, someone who took the time to try and understand her. This was a friendship that she greatly appreciated, and she knew that he knew it.

Their _brains_ were linked, after all.

Whenever she grew suspicious of his watchful eye, he no longer replied with_, "I'm your leader. It's my job to look after you."_

His new slogan was now a warm and jovial, _"I'm your best friend. It's my job to take care of you."_

And he did take care of her. He watched her more closely and was more aware of her, both of these _much_ more than he was when he was just _suspicious_ and _wary _of her powers. They both knew that she could take care of herself - she was_ half demon _and was not too proud to argue this. But it felt good to have someone looking after her, not because they were afraid of her, but because they cared.

So she always responded with, _"I don't need you to take care of me."_

And he always shrugged._ "I didn't make up the rules."_

Although they both knew that she would never do such a thing, Raven swore not to speak a word of his history to anyone. But that did not stop her own mind from churning after receiving so much information about the one person she had always been curious about in just a matter of seconds. She mused over everything. All of the things that she saw, and all of the information that she received, and all of the emotions that she felt played over and over in her head - because it made sense.

From the day that she met him, he had been impulsive. _Incredibly_ impulsive, and the word 'incredibly' is used because not _only_ was this impulsive streak both difficult to believe and accept, but it was also quite stupid and actually impressive that he was still alive. Along with being incredibly impulsive, he had a tendency to develop obsessions. Intense obsessions that were formed simply because whatever he was obsessing over was not as easily attainable as he would have liked - as he was used to. And this caused temper tantrums, one of which that grew to become so serious that he almost lost his mind due to the inhalation of dust from an old Slade mask that he had kept for himself.

Raven understood.

The way his brain worked, all of the tricky, little twists and turns, and dark caverns in his head began to make sense to her. The impulsive behavior made sense. The obsessions made sense. The temper tantrums that he threw whenever he did not get his way made sense.

She _understood_. She _got_ it. She got _him_.

_He. Finally. Made_. _Sense_.

And so, Raven put her own little detective cap on and arrived to her own conclusion:

He was spoiled. Absolutely rotten.

Richard Grayson was not used to not getting what he wanted at the snap of a finger. He was used to instant gratification. He was used to his father's home and mansion, the famous Wayne Manor, and to receiving whatever he wanted and needed on a silver platter. This silver platter would sometimes _literally_ be presented to him by his butler, Alfred Pennyworth. And this was all because Bruce Wayne saw himself so _clearly_ in his new son, especially with the deaths of their parents, that he sought to do anything in his power to keep the boy happy.

That last part, Raven did not assume. He told her.

_**.**_

_Ye Old Ice Cream Shoppe_ was the first and only ice cream shop that Raven had ever frequented during her time on Earth. It was very small and very homely, and very rarely was it ever full and bustling with customers, even in the summertime. But now, it was a late Autumn evening, and it was completely understandable that the shop would be practically empty. Who in their right minds would leave the comforts of their warm homes and actually go outside where the temperatures were dropping just to get ice cream?

Well. _Them_. Of course.

No matter how hot or how cold, and no matter how late or how early, whenever their schedules permitted it, the two friends could almost always be found in their regular booth in the back corner, just in case someone were to spot them. While it was true that the temperatures were dropping, and dropping fast, the two friends had quickly become accustomed to their little ice cream outings after the defeat of Trigon.

Raven had never even tasted ice cream before he offered to bring her to the tiny shop in celebration of her victory and the bright future ahead of her, and _boy,_ was she _glad_ that she had accepted his offer. All that talk about victories and the speeches of bright, new futures were pretty and inspiring, especially when they came from her best friend. She appreciated the constant flourishing of their friendship. But she appreciated _ice cream _a _whole_ lot more - and he knew it.

Raven dragged her spoon through her ice cream and brought it to her mouth. Almost immediately, the tasty delicacy began to melt on her tongue, and she sighed in bliss. _Cookies and cream_. Her favorite. "So, you're a brat?"

A laugh slipped out of Robin's mouth and his dark brows jumped over his sunglasses. He did not have a favorite flavor of ice cream. True to his impulsive nature, he chose to try a new flavor each time they visited, and he was down the large menu by almost one-third. Although he did not have a favorite, he always liked to stir his ice cream before and while eating it. He liked it thick and smooth. Like frozen milk, he said once.

_"Isn't that what ice cream is? Frozen milk with a bit of artificial flavoring?"_

_"Raven, please."_

_She simply smiled._

"The word 'brat' is so... _restrictive_," he began as he stirred his ice cream. Today's flavor was Very Berry Café Mousse. She suspected that the mixing of berries, coffee, chocolate and fish flavoring would be disgusting, and that the mere idea of it tainted the very nature of ice cream's intended deliciousness. He waved her warning off in the name of _adventure_. But judging from how long he had been stirring, the adventure was over and he would soon have to admit defeat; his ice cream was looking a bit too much like _regular_ milk instead of the frozen kind. "I prefer _rascal_. Or even whippersnapper."

Raven scoffed, but a bit of a laugh escaped as she took the spoon out of her mouth. "One of those words is used to describe a mischievous or cheeky person. The other, a young and inexperienced person considered to be presumptuous and/or overconfident."

He grinned and the brightness of his smile made him look almost as young as the day they first met. "And they both describe me perfectly, don't you think?" As she allowed herself a low chuckle, he took a moment to grab a napkin and wiped his spoon down before pushing his bowl aside. He was obviously done with _that_ disaster of a treat. "I'll never be able to understand how you managed to memorize the entire American-English dictionary."

She reached over the table to take the spoon from him, and she gathered up a large scoop of her own ice cream before passing it back to him. "I've also memorized the Chinese, Arabic, Haitian, Sri Lankan, and Latin dictionaries."

With a hiss, he shirked back, placing a hand over his heart and wincing as if he was in pain, and she smiled. Before their bond, she was sure that he was one of the stiffest sticks in the mud (as if _she_ had any room to speak), but he was actually quite silly. "No wonder you're such a genius."

Her smile grew at the compliment. "Didn't daddy dearest make you do the same?"

He scoffed. "He tried." At that, he began nibbling on the ice cream on his spoon. Even if it was not as smooth and soft as he normally liked it, he seemed to be liking his new spoon of ice cream much more than his first. "I kind of regret not taking it seriously. He wasn't lying when he said that language is a detective's greatest weapon."

Raven released another low chuckle and picked up another scoop of ice cream. "In Azerath, it was customary for school children to study the languages and cultures of other people. It was supposed to instill dicipline while keeping us well-rounded and informed about the world around us. But because I was so dangerous and unstable, my study lessons were a bit... broader."

Robin nodded with a bit of a frown, and she felt his sympathy, understanding, and underlying anger not even through her empathy, but through their bond. It really was nice to have someone to talk to. "Well, you certainly are diciplined, well-rounded and informed." With no preamble, he stuck the spoon into his mouth and his face scrunched up.

A joyous laugh escaped Raven, and she quickly slapped a hand over her mouth. Suddenly, she was very glad that the shop was practically empty. She cleared her throat, the remnants of a giggle slipping out here and there at the sight of his red face. "You have to take your time," she teased. "Don't be so impulsive and so _spoiled_, Richard."

It was at his request that she called him by his birth name, and she only did this when they were alone out of respect.

He took a moment to compose himself, smacking his lips a few times before swallowing. "That's not funny, Raven."

It was so, and he knew it. "Tell me. How _disgusting_ is Very Berry Café Mousse?"

"Utterly," came his immediate response. He arched a brow. "What's the definition of that?"

"Completely and without qualification."

"Yup." He nodded in acceptance. "Very Berry Café Mousse is _utterly disgusting. _You win." He picked his bowl up and threw it into the trash can beside them. "I think I'll go try another one."

She raised a brow and picked up another scoop of ice cream. "_Another_ one? And right after you trashed an entire bowl that wasn't even _halfway_ done?"

"Something that only a spoiled brat would do, right?"

"A _rascal_, you mean."

"Or a _whippersnapper_." When she rolled her eyes, he stood with a laugh. "Hey. Say what you will, but you just remember who's paying."

"That's only because you never let me pay."

"Come on, Rae. You're my best friend. It's my job to take care of you."

"I don't need you to take care of me, and you know it."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't make up the rules." At that, he leaned over to place a short peck onto her forehead before making his way over to the register to order a new bowl of ice cream.

Raven simply wiped her forehead with the flat of her palm and gathered up another scoop of ice cream.

_**.**_

One of the greatest lessons Raven was fortunate enough to learn as a crime-fighter?

There were certain duties and responsibilities that came with being a superhero. Superheroes had a duty to fight crime, to help people, and to uphold the moral codes of justice as well as they could. That much was obvious. However important those duties were, the superhero's greatest responsibility is not to the citizens they protect. But to _themselves_.

Everything happened for a reason, and this always meant that a decision had to have been made. There is always a _choice_. There is always a choice to do right or wrong, to go left or right, to go up or down, to become a superhero or not. Behind this choice, there must be a reason _why_ this choice was made, and it is absolutely imperative that the superhero knows _why_ they chose to become a superhero. They must know their _cause_. They must know _why_ they fight crime. They must know why they _chose _to fight crime.

At just fourteen years old, Raven was forced to make her choice. Trigon was a terrible monster, one that intimidated her _far_ more than any of the puny villains the team faced every, single day _ever_ did. This fear became her cause. She fought crime because she was scared. She _chose_ to fight evil because she was scared.

But now, at seventeen years old, things had changed. Trigon was gone. The best part of it all? _She_ was the one to make him go away with the help of her _family._ She could have easily retired after that. She had no reason to fight anymore now that the monster was vanquished. Yet, it was through this monster and its defeat that she learned her _true_ cause.

Simply put: she liked to help people. And she could help people alone, but she would much rather do it with her family.

There were also certain duties and responsibilities that came with being the protégé of the world's greatest detective.

Guess which _duties_ and _responsibilities_ trumped the other.

"You're going to _Gotham_?" Beast Boy's voice broke the silence of the common room, cracking just a bit in disbelief.

Robin cringed under the weight of his teammates wondering and disappointed looks, wincing and recoiling a bit as he avoided their eyes.

_Avoiding the eyes of your teammates, Richard? Tsk. Don't be so spoiled._

_Raven, I swear._

Raven pulled her hood over her head before her smile could spread, but she was sure that he knew it was on her face.

Unlike her teammates, she was not shocked or surprised by their leader's sudden announcement that he would be leaving for Gotham at the end of the week. He had confided in her a while back that from the very day that this team was founded, his father and mentor made sure to send him one letter every month, and each one was signed off with an urgent appeal for Richard to finally visit home. It seemed that he had finally surrendered.

The young leader rubbed the back of his neck with a gloved hand, a testament to just how nervous he was. The fact that _Beast Boy_ was the first to question him seemed to be speaking volumes. Finally, he sighed and met their eyes. "It's not like I'll be gone forever. I _can't_ be gone forever. I'm the leader, remember?"

Still, Beast Boy's ears drooped and dangled. "I guess..." Suddenly, he sat up with a chirp and snapped his fingers as a bright smile grew onto his face. "You're right! You can't be gone forever because you're the leader. But you _can't_ be the leader while you're in _Gotham_. You're only one person." He stood from the couch, saluting with one hand while the other was stiff at his side. "I volunteer myself as the stand-in leader-"

Cyborg was quick to challenge that motion.

The bionic man drew a leg back and kicked Beast Boy's backside, sending the green changeling flying. He stood tall with his fists at each side and a triumphant grin on his face, barely registering the pile of the pots and pans crashing in the kitchen accompanied by Beast Boy's groaning_ duuuude_. "If anyone's fit to stand in for Robin while he's away and visiting old Batsy, it's_ me_."

Starfire frowned. She hesitated. Then she looked into the kitchen, watching and waiting until Beast Boy made a sound, signifying that he was, indeed, alive and kicking. So, she returned to the conversation. "Friend Cyborg, I pray that you do not take any of the offense with what I am going to say. But if anyone is fit to take Robin's position as the leader while he is visiting the Man of the Bats, it is Raven, is it not? She is the second-in-command, and it is customary that she should take charge whenever and if ever the leader is away or unfit to lead. Correct?"

Cyborg's grin deflated into a rather _un_-triumphant frown. He sighed. "Star's right."

"Star is very right," Robin agreed. He consciously and deliberately ignored the big, green elephant tiptoeing its way into the common room and behind Cyborg.

Star flew into the air with a laugh, hovering above her previous seat on the couch as she clapped her hands. "How glorious! Friend Raven is to be our new and temporary leader!"

The elephant blew its trunk before wrapping it around Cyborg and tossed the bionic man aside like a toy. Then the elephant left and a confused Beast Boy scratching at his head took its place. "Raven's the stand-in leader?"

"Only if she wants to be," Robin clarified as he looked to her. "Do you?"

It was a miracle that Raven had not snorted right then and there. As if _she _wanted to be the head of this team. She loved them, she did, but they were a handful and she was including herself in that handful.

_She_ did not want to be the one playing mediator whenever fights broke out over lost video games, cheated bets, and whoever's night it was to wash the dishes._ She _did not want to be the one launching full investigations whenever the T-car received as little as a smudge of dirt on the tire. _She_ did not want to be the one finding random secret stashes of mustard all around the huge Tower. She _definitely did not _want to be the one keeping track of the steadily growing mold colony that was threatening to take over Beast Boy's entire room. Villains and paparazzi were the _last _things she _ever_ wanted to think about.

Nope. No way. Raven was used to just being a part of the team, and she was just fine with it staying like that. She saw what horrible headaches Robin got. She healed them.

"No thanks," she politely declined. She ignored the way Robin's mouth turned up ever so slightly. "Cy can have it."

Cyborg, who had been stealthily creeping up behind Beast Boy, stopped with a gasp of glee and a smile fit for a pageant queen.

Starfire spun in the air with another, "Glorious!"

Beast Boy simply fell onto the couch, his ears drooping lower than before. "_Duuuuuuude_!"

"It's settled," Robin declared, and he grabbed Cyborg before the bionic man could get to using Beast Boy as the makeshift football in his victory dance. "We have much to discuss."

And it was a long and lengthy discussion. Starfire, the master timekeeper that she was, predicted this as soon as the door shut beind Robin and Cyborg. So, she took both of her remaining teammates into the kitchen and began working on not one, but _three_ puddings. A pudding of celebration for Cyborg, a pudding of departure for Robin, and a pudding of rejection for Beast Boy.

_"Hey! _Starfire_! I was _not_ rejected!"_

In its entirety, the production of the three puddings took five hours. Five_ whole _hours of mixing mashed potatoes, eggs (and a bit of their eggshells "to ensure that little bit of _kick_!"), that weird and furry blue stuff that grew in the back corner of the refrigerator and mustard. Lots and lots of _mustard_. By the end of it all, the Tower smelled nasty.

Not disgusting. Not even gross.

_Nasty_.

Robin reclined into his seat at his desk, snorting a laugh out at Raven's recounting of the pudding debacle while she sat on his bed. He was doing work, and _was_ is the operative term because he stopped as soon as she came. Visiting each other's rooms at the end of the day was not an adaptation, at least not on her part. It was more of a comfort, and it was very rare that she would ever be the one to come and visit him. He was usually the one to come and visit her, but she was sure that tonight was different simply because he was going to be leaving soon.

He sighed and there was a light smile on his face. He stretched his legs out and in front of him as he relaxed into his seat. "It might have been nasty, but the puddings are _always_ nasty. It's Starfire. Who can say 'no' to her?"

Raven could only roll her eyes because it was true. No one ever could say 'no' to that girl. Even if there were _three_ puddings involved. "You and Cyborg are just lucky that your little meeting prevented you both from having to experience that."

There was a pause.

"Truth?"

"Truth."

"Our meeting only lasted about an hour and ten minutes, and we could smell the pudding about thirty minutes before the meeting actually ended. Once the meeting was actually over, we snuck through the garage and went to the park."

Raven's jaw dropped.

"And we played one _intense_ game of basketball-"

"I_ knew _it!"

"You... You _knew_ that we went to the park and played basketball?" The corners of his mouth turned up and into a curious smile. "Well, I know that you're a _genius,_ but-"

"No," she interrupted exasperatedly. Honestly, for such a smart boy, it was easy to forget that he was just that: a _boy_. "I knew that the meeting couldn't have possibly lasted five hours. I don't care what's being discussed, it makes no sense that _one_ meeting between you and Cyborg would last five hours."

He held his hands up in defense, but his wobbling mouth took away from his intended sincerity. "That smell was just... What's the definition of atrocious?"

"Horrifyingly wicked."

He snapped his fingers with a nod, and he slapped his hands flat onto his thighs. "Yup. _Perfect_. There we go._ Horrifyingly w__icked. _Like Freddie Krueger's evil manifested into a scent."

A laugh slipped out of her mouth and he grinned. Before he could say anything about her forgiving him, because she just knew that he would, she pointed an accusing finger at him. "That isn't fair. If I had to suffer through the puddings, why should you be excluded?"

His face contorted into a look that could only be described as_ pure disgust,_ but he allowed himself a chuckle. "Fine, fine. I'll eat all three for breakfast in the morning."

That sounded pretty fair to her. She smiled and nodded in acceptance before a yawn slipped out, and she covered her mouth with a hand. "Later, I think you mean," she corrected as she looked to the clock sitting on his desk. "It's already two."

He made a noncommittal sound as he looked to the clock before slipping his mask off and setting it onto the desk. The first time she saw his eyes, she was shocked. Literally shocked into silence because he seemed to never take that mask off. And his response to her stunned silence: "I trust you."

_"Why did you choose me to be your second-in-command?"_

_"Because I trust you. Why else?"_

_"I beg to differ."_

_ "Go on and differ, then."_

_"You only chose me to be your second-in-command because you were afraid of my powers and wanted to keep an eye on me."_

_A snort. "As if I would _ever_ be afraid of little, old you and your sparky boom-boom powers."_

_"I do _not_ have 'sparky boom-boom' powers."_

_Another snort. "Right. Sorry."_

_"...and I'm not _that_ little."_

_This snort was the loudest of them all._

As he stood from his seat, he stretched his arms out, popping and cracking a few things here and there with a yawn before making his way over to his bed. He laid down, slipped under the covers, and with a sigh, he rested his arm over his eyes. "Are you staying?"

The first time they shared a bed, it was completely inadvertent and only because they had both fallen asleep while talking. When she woke up the next morning to find him in her bed, she did not know what to think. She was actually still a bit too sleepy to really do anything but attempt to blink the sleep away. But, of course, like the spoiled brat he was, he did not think anything of it. He laughed, told a _stupid_ joke and went right back to sleep.

This time, she was tired once again. Too tired to even teleport to her room, and it was all because of Starfire's _nasty_ puddings. So, although he could not see it, Raven nodded and slipped underneath the covers beside him. As soon as her head touched the pillow, she began to feel just how tired she really was and the effects of the late hour. It was not strange that the time would just pass them by like this. Time always seemed to fly by with her best friend. And he was going to be gone at the end of this week.

"How long will you be gone?"

"Just a few months."

A frown immediately began to tug and pull at her lips, and the feeling of embarrassment began to bubble in her stomach. Honestly, it was not like they had never been separated before. They had been separated from each other plenty of times. But this time, they would be separated while they were best friends. As babyish as it was, the thought really unnerved her a bit, enough for her to blurt out:

"How long is just a few months?"

His jaw ticked before he removed his arm from over his eyes. They were bright and blue, and his thick, dark brows were knitted above them in concern. "Rae... It won't be for long."

_Ugh_. The way he said that just made it sound like she was going to be_ counting the days_ until he would return. She released a rather uncharacteristic huff and turned to lay onto her back, and she glared at the ceiling. "I know that. I was just asking a question. Stop trying to baby me."

"As smart as you are, you should know that I can't do _that_."

The smile was clear in his voice, and it made the corners of her mouth twitch upwards. What he said was the truth: he really could not stop trying to baby his best friend. Surprisingly enough, as much as she argued that she could take care of herself (half demon,_ hell-ooo_!), it was nice to have someone constantly looking out for her. It was _easy_ to adapt to this.

"It's just that..." She released a sigh. "We've been separated before, this isn't the first time. You just weren't my best friend those other times. This is the first time, and I guess it just clicked."

It was silent before he gave a sigh of his own. A heavy one. He shuffled in his spot before settling down. "I would be lying if I said that I hadn't thought of that either. I'm just glad that I wasn't the one to bring it up."

Although she made an attempt to fight it, her smile grew. It was nice to know that they were on the same page, and it was very rare if they were not, because, well, their brains were linked. She turned to rest onto her side and face him, and found him in the same position. "But you have to go."

"But I have to go," he repeated a bit somberly. "I don't want to, but I have to." He hesitated and his fingers danced between them on the bed. "Listen, it won't be long, okay? Just a few months, enough time to get Bruce off of my back, and I promise I'll call every day."

She knew that he would. They never went one day without speaking. So, she nodded, but it was paired with a tiny scowl. "Didn't I tell you to stop babying me?"

"Didn't _I_ tell you that I can't do that?" At that, he took her into his arms, bringing her into an almost bone crushing hug as he smothered her face into his chest.

"Richard," she deadpanned, her voice muffled. "You spoiled brat."

He laughed, and the vibrations of it made his chest rumble against her cheek. His arms loosened just enough for her to be able to poke her head out and meet his eyes with a glare. His laughter grew, and she just knew that her glare would have had _much_ more of an affect if she had not been so sleepy. "I'll miss you, Rae."

She ignored his growing smile, rolled her eyes and hid her face back into his chest. Whatever. He was just lucky that she was so sleepy. "I know. I'll miss you, too."

He simply hugged her closer and placed one, single kiss onto her forehead. "Don't worry," he spoke quietly as he unwound an arm from around her, and he wiped her forehead with the flat of his thumb. "I got it."

A tired smile slid onto her face. As annoying as he was, she had to admit that she really would miss her best friend. She also had to admit that he was very warm, and that he smelled very, _very_ good. She would miss him a lot, and not only because he made a such good comforter.

The tips of his fingers grazed her scalp and she released a soft sigh when he began to play with a few tendrils of her hair. He buried his nose into her hair and sniffed twice. "Your hair smells good."

"I had to shower to rid myself of the pudding smells." He chuckled, and she felt herself inching closer and closer to sleep. The feeling of his fingers in her hair paired with his warmth was almost a guarantee she would not be awake for much longer. "The three of them are all disgusting, and each in their own, special way. You don't have to eat them."

"No," he said. His voice was fading a bit. Just a bit. "I said that I would eat them for you, and I will."

She tried to snort, but it came out as a weak sigh. So, she resorted to slurring an even weaker, "You're so spoiled, Richard."

His laughter was the last thing she heard before she finally gave into the exhaustion and fell asleep.

_** .**_

"Friend Robin, I am delighted that you are enjoying your pudding of departure along with the puddings of celebration and rejection!"

"For the last time: I was _not_ rejected-!"

"Yeah, Star. It's all... _delicious. _And _none_ of it smells atrocious."

"Splendid! You will be having another bowl, then. Yes?"

Robin paled.

Beast Boy took out his camera.

Starfire smiled brightly for her photo op.

Raven snorted.

Cyborg dry heaved over the sink.

_**.**_

The days leading up to Robin's departure were fast and quick. They felt short, as they always did in the summertime. These days, however, felt much shorter, and everyone agreed that it was only because their leader and friend would be leaving. He _was_ leaving - but not without leaving them with a few parting words first.

Their leader's parting words for them were not very comforting, to say the least. But they were _his_ parting words. So, as they all stood on the bridge that connected the city to the great Tower and watched him mount his bike, they took it all into great consideration.

"Beast Boy, _don't bother Raven_. Don't give her any reason to kill you, or send you or your corpse to another dimension."

"Raven, _don_'_t_ _kill Beast Boy. _Don't send him _or_ his corpse to another dimension either."

"Starfire, _please_ try to keep the secret mustard stashes and bringing new animal friends to the Tower at a minimum."

"Cyborg... Please don't let Beast Boy bother Raven. Don't let Raven kill and/or send Beast Boy or his corpse to another dimension. Keep an eye out for any mustard stashes because they _will_ stink up the place, and so will the feces of cute and furry woodland animals. I've left everything that you will ever need on my desk, so everything should be just fine. And don't worry, Raven heals headaches."

He revved his engine, and with a wave, he was gone.

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><p><em><strong>AN: **_Okay. I suppose I'll go update my other stories now. Haha!


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N:_** Sorry for such a late update! I just love this story so much (_**so. freaking. much.**_), and I just want to make it as perfect as I can.

_Note: _As perfect as I want this story, it's _also_ four in the morning. *_sheepish laughter_* Please excuse any errors that you find (I'm _sure_ there are _plenty_). I'll clean it up once I get some sleep. Enjoy! :)

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><p><em>Ah-dap-tay-shon. It was easy for her.<em>

* * *

><p>xoxo<p>

* * *

><p>Chapter Two<p>

**_._**

_"...and there's this one villain who's been messing with the big guy for a while now. He calls himself- get ready for it... _The Joker_. Trust and believe me when I tell you that this man is completely and utterly batshit-"_

"Richard, your mouth."

_"-insane. The Joker is completely and utterly _insane_, Raven."_

There was just the _slightest_ hint of underlying resentment in his reluctant - _blatantly _reluctant - correction. As a young leader who practically gave criticisms as if they were a hot commodity wrapped in a big, red bow, he prided himself in being able to accept or apply any criticisms that ever came his way - _in_ _grace_. But he certainly did not appreciate being constantly corrected on something as trivial as his foul mouth, and this was something to be expected from such a spoiled and rotten brat - both the attitude _and_ the dirty mouth.

For this, Raven allowed a smile to slide itself right onto her face as she watched the ceiling of her bedroom.

As he promised, he made sure to call her every single day, and they both knew that whether he was in Gotham or right beside her, he _would_ find a way to bother and check up on her. This was not something that she wanted to admit (not _out loud_, anyway), but she was relieved that he had stuck to his promise. _Immensely_ relieved. It was not because she ever thought for even a split second that he would break a promise to her, even one as small as that, but because she was _almost_ as attached to him as he was to her - and he certainly was attached.

Raven had grown so used to seeing him every day. She had become so accustomed, so _perfectly_ adapted to having him there with her all the time, _physically_, that she had been thrown in for such a loop the morning after he left. The realization that he really was gone, and in Gotham, was almost _sickening_.

Having him gone, in one word, was: _disconcerting_.

And she knew that she was using the correct word because she had _several_ versions of the entire American English dictionary memorized.

Along with being a spoiled and entitled brat, Richard was also the _direct_ personification of the word 'overprotective'. He constantly worried for her and watched over her, and she constantly chided and berated him for it.

_"How many times must I remind you that I am a half-blooded demon?"_

_"Only half. The other half is human."_

_"And I can take care of that side just fine."_

_"Come on, Rae. I'm your best friend, it's my job to take care of you, and that includes both the human and demonic sides of you. I didn't make up the rules."_

It was absolutely _infuriating_, because even as she was _chiding_ and _berating_ him, they both knew that at the very back of her head, she liked to have someone who so fiercely longed to protect her and keep her safe. He was her very best friend, the best that she had ever had, but never had she expected to become so attached to him. Or to anyone, for that matter.

The word itself had a few definitions, but the first and primary defined "_attached_" as being "_joined or fastened to something_". The only thing that legitimately _joined _or_ fastened_ Raven to her best friend was their bond, the linking of their minds. But she had never been attached to _anything_ before, much less an entire _person_. And this... _attachment_ was not a thought or feeling that sat well with her. Not at all.

Attachments were dangerous. Especially to someone of _her_ lineage.

_"Do your best to remain detached."_

_"Meditate. Stay calm. Stay far, far away. You would not want to harm anyone. Or yourself."_

_"Be wary and watchful of whom you open yourself up to, young one, lest you suffer heartbreak."_

Yet, there she was. Eighteen years old, and completely and unabashedly attached not _only_ to her best friend, but to her job, and to her team and family. It was almost embarrassing, but she knew that none of them would ever abandon her over something as insignificant as her heritage. And as disconcerting as this entire _attachment_ situation was, it was even more _pathetic_ that it had taken him going to Gotham City, a city that sat on the_ direct _opposite coast of Jump City on these _blessed_ United States of America, for her to realize this attachment.

She missed going on random ice cream trips with him. She missed those _stupid _forehead kisses and wiping them off in faux-disgust, or even having him wipe them off for her. She even missed insulting him and calling him a spoiled brat_ to his face_, because doing that over the phone, or even through text messages, simply was not the same.

_"Earth has made you soft, daughter," _she could imagine Trigon taunting her.

She was not _counting the days_, but she was _this close._ It was _absolutely pathetic_, and endlessly embarrassing. But judging from how frequently he reached out to her, it was obvious that he was not faring any better than she was. It was a bit petty, but that made Raven's smile grow as she continued to watch her ceiling. Just a little. She adjusted the phone over her ear and the very tip of a stray lock of hair grazed her shoulder, tickling it ever so slightly. She took it between her fingers, inspecting it with something stuck right between disdain and acceptance. Perhaps she should just let it grow this time. Haircuts were obviously no match for her hair follicles.

With a dismissive shrug, she tucked the stray tendril behind her ear. "What is it that makes The Joker _so_ _insane_?"

He scoffed. _"What _isn't_ insane about The Joker? He's a psychopathic serial killer with no sense of right or wrong. He hasn't got one empathic bone in his body, not a single one. Murdering is just... It's just all one, big _joke_ to him."_

A shiver ran down Raven's spine and she sat up in her bed, looking to her window. The moonlight that shined through the lone drape cast shadows onto her carpeted floor, shadows that normally comforted and amused her. Needless to say, they were not so comforting _or_ amusing at the moment. "That doesn't sound right. How is it possible for his _entire_ body to be lacking in_ at least_ one empathic bone? Everyone, no matter how evil they are, is able to both correctly and incorrectly discern the feelings and emotions of others. That's what makes it fun for some villains."

He hummed, and she just knew that he was smiling._ "Are you alone?"_

"Why?"

_"I don't want to scare you."_

She tore her eyes from the window. _Right_, she thought as she combed her fingers through her hair, pushing it back and away from her face. They had a bond. Even when he was on the opposite coast. With a short sigh, she pulled her hand out of her hair, twirled a finger in the air, and the shades closed over the window with a harsh _tch! _sound_._

You know, just in case.

"I'm not a baby. Just say what you need to say."

_"Rae, seriously-"_

"Richard."

It was quiet, but the hesitation was clear and evident, even over the phone. Finally, he released a long sigh, and Raven found herself fighting off a smile because he never really could deny her anything.

_"He's a mass murderer," _he began cautiously. _"And I'm not just saying this. The Joker is a _classified_ serial mass murderer, and in his documents, it is written down - in print - that this is a man who holds no remorse for his victims. He's always... _cackling_ or smiling that creepy smile after he's committed a crime, and he is _always_ smiling. Like I said before, it's all a big joke to him."_

That very same shiver made its way down her spine once again, this time, slower and much more potent. Almost as if someone was sitting right there and behind her on the bed, trailing the very tip of their finger along the length of her spinal cord. She looked over to the window and shot a hand out toward it, dark threads of her powers reaching out to inspect the window and its lock, the shade, and the drape. Once she was sure that the window was locked and that no one was there, more specifically, _The Joker,_ she allowed her hand to fall onto the bed and fisted the sheet that covered her, pulling and hugging it closer to herself with a hard swallow.

_"Rae?"_

A shocked gasp escaped her and she jumped, that same stray lock of hair escaping and tickling her shoulder for the second time. Maybe growing her hair out would not be such a good idea.

_"You there? Are you okay?"_

"Yes," she blurted out as she pushed her hair back. Suddenly, she regretted urging him to tell her this little bedtime story. It was 2:47 AM - proper spooking hour. She cleared her throat. "I'm fine. When did your father first encounter The- him?"

There was a pause.

_"Raven, I'm not going to finish this story if all it's doing is scaring you straight shitless."_

She blinked at the brazen accusation. Although, his accusation could not really be called _brazen_ if it was true. She could not even utter the man's name. So, she looked to the window one, last time, rolled her eyes, and fell back into the comfort of her bed. "If you don't finish, my brain is going to fill itself up with bad thoughts. You might as well finish. And watch your mouth."

He chuckled. It was low in pitch, significantly lower than it had been when he first left. It was a soothing sound, one that helped to relax her a little. _"Fine. Let's see... When did my father first encounter him? All I know is that one night, the big guy was called to a chemical plant to look into a disturbance. There were three criminals there working on only God knows what. Well, God and the big guy. Security was tipped off, and before you know it, there ends up being a huge shoot out. Two of the three criminals were fatally shot, which leaves us with...?"_

"One?" A brow jumped. "The Joker?"

The sharp snapping of his fingers was heard. _"You said it, little one, not me."_

"You spoiled and entitled _brat_, I am_ not_ that little-!"

_"Two out of three leaves us with one," _he interrupted a _bit_ too happily. _"The Joker isn't really _The Joker _yet. For now, he's just the third criminal. He tries to escape, but he's stopped by none other than...?"_

She rolled her eyes off to the side, a chuckle slipping out of her mouth. "Batman?"

_"The third criminal was stopped by none other than _Batman_,"_ he confirmed. _"The man was so terrified that he actually jumped over a railing and into a vat of chemicals. Not really fit for a life of crime, if you ask me. Anyway, he jumps into the vat and when he comes out, his skin is chalky white, his lips are ruby red, and his hair is as green as Beast Boy's eyes. And boom!"_

Raven gasped and sat up in her bed, clutching the sheet closer to herself as she looked to the window.

_"The Joker was born."_

The sharp and prickling feeling of embarrassment trickled over her, but she continued to watch the window. With a quiet sigh, she laid back down, rubbing her cheek into her pillow in a vain attempt to force out any possible images of The Joker. "That still doesn't explain the insanity. So, he's ugly now. Whoop-de-doo. Ugliness doesn't warrant or excuse the murdering of others."

He laughed. The sound of this one soothed her a bit, too. _"Rumor has it that it wasn't the accident that drove him crazy. It was his family. Or rather, what _happened_ to his family. He never really _was_ a thug, even while he was working with those criminals. In fact, the only reason that he was working with those guys was because he needed to make some extra cash for his family: him and his pregnant wife. But while he was at the plant, she died in a household accident."_

A frown began to tug at her lips at the revelation. "And now his only solace is murdering, with no remorse. That's... sad."

He scoffed in disbelief. _"Okay, Raven. First of all, whatever's going on with The Joker is not _sad_. As I said before, The Joker is just _completely_ and _utterly_ motherfucking batshit-"_

Raven sat up with a huff. "Honestly, Richard, your mouth is _disgusting_!"

He released a long and extended wheeze, right before his loud and uproarious laughter escaped.

She tried to fight it, but a smile was growing onto her face. The very same lock of hair grazed her shoulder once again, although it did not bother her much this time. So, she pushed her hair back with a low chuckle and fell back onto her bed, shaking her head as she watched her ceiling. "Your mouth wasn't this filthy before you went back to Gotham. Did you notice?"

_"No,"_ he answered, the dregs and remnants of his laughter still evident in his voice._ "Not until you did."_

Raven's smile grew. Her noticing something before he did certainly did not come as a surprise to her. "Well, you _have_ been there for about a year now. It's only right that your hometown would grow on you again."

A comfortable silence passed between them, and she took the moment to check the window again. One last time. She pointed a finger and dark threads of her powers danced into the air, twirling and curving, before reaching the window. They raised the drape and shade in their inspection before both delicately fell back down with a soft _whoosh_. No chalky white skin, no ruby red lips, and no hair as green as Beast Boy's eyes. Good.

_"Has it really been almost one year? Already?"_

And it was then that Raven realized that while the silence had been comfortable for her, it had been guilt ridden and filled with inner turmoil for him. As it should have been. Who told him to stay in Gotham for so long? _She_ certainly did not, and so, she would not feel any pity for him.

"Yes," she replied as she pulled the covers over herself with a short yawn. "It has."

There was a sigh, a heavy sigh. _"Rae, I swear I didn't mean to stay this long. It's just that... Gotham-"_

"Gotham is my hometown, and I'm back," she completed for him. "You're back. I know. You tell me that every night."

_"I'm sorry."_

Raven wanted to tell him that it was okay, that it was his hometown and she understood. But telling him any of that would just imply that she missed him. And she did miss her best friend. However, as much as she missed him, this whole _attachment_ business was _not_ something that she wanted to admit was real. She was actually _this close_ to telling him to stay over there.

"Don't apologize to _me_. Call _Starfire_ and apologize to _her_."

_"What?" _He sounded surprised. _"Why do I need to apologize to Star? She's not my best friend. You are."_

The corners of her mouth turned up. "True, but she _is_ the one who gained nearly fifteen pounds by drinking one bottle of mustard every morning in an effort to commemorate your memory and mourn your departure. It all went straight to her chest, and although I'm pretty sure that they're starting to get in the way whenever she fights, her boobs look _really_ good."

_"Raven!" _he gasped with a laugh, and she simply shrugged. Starfire's boobs_ did_ look _really_ good. _"What else am I missing?"_

"Let's see," she began, tapping her chin with the tip of her finger as she thought before she released a short, "Ah. Along with having awesome boobs, Star has also kept the furry animal friends _and_ the mustard stashes to a minimum. And since Beast Boy's eighteenth birthday is coming up, he's thinking of changing his name to something a lot _manlier_."

A snort._ "Oh, really?"_

"Mh-hmm. He's already narrowed it down to three choices."

_"I've got to hear this."_

She chuckled. "Beast Man, Beast_-ly_ Man, and Changeling."

He snickered._ "Starfire's boobs are super, the Tower no longer reeks of animal feces _or_ spoiled mustard, and Beast Boy's having an identity crisis. How's Cy doing?"_

"He's wondering how you put up with it all," she declared, and he laughed. "His headaches aren't nearly as bad as yours were and he doesn't get them as frequently as you did, either. But he's doing a very good job as the stand-in leader."

_"I knew that he would. What about you? I'm sure that you must have some sort of mourning ritual for your best friend."_

Sometimes she visited the ice cream shop when she was craving Cookie's and Cream. But it was not the same without him.

"No. I don't miss you _that_ much. Not _nearly_ enough for a _mourning ritual_."

_"Raven."_

An impish smile quirked at her lips, and she turned to lay on her side, shutting her eyes as she did so. "When are you coming back?"

_"Soon."_

She snorted. "I'm beginning to _hate_ that word, you know? It can't be 'soon' for a year."

_"Ah-ah-ah. You said '_about_ a year', remember?"_

_"Richard."_

He gave a low chuckle, and the sound of it was not helping her to stay awake, at all. _"Fine. How about... 'It's a surprise'?"_

"That's a new one."

_"All in the name of adventure."_

Oh, right. _Adventure_. She would not have been surprised if he was having _plenty_ of those in Gotham. "All in the name of adventure," she agreed.

Another silence passed between them, and she was sure that it was absolutely comfortable on both ends this time. Soon enough, she found herself nearing closer and closer to sleep. He would not mind if she fell asleep on the line. It would not be the first time.

_"I miss you, Rae."_

His voice jolted her awake, right before she could give into the fatigue. She blinked twice with another yawn and pulled the covers closer to herself, burrowing her body deeper into the bed. "I know. I miss you, too."

_"You sound _ridiculously_ tired."_

"That's because I _am_ ridiculously tired."

He snickered. _"Fine, I'll let you go to sleep. I just have to ask you one more thing."_

She nodded into her pillow, allowing her eyes to fall shut as she did so. "What is it?"

_"Do you really feel bad for The Joker?"_

Raven opened her eyes, rolling them up to the ceiling as she turned to lay onto her back. Of course he would bring that guy back up as soon as she managed to forget about him. She sighed and ran a hand down her face before scratching at her scalp. "Yes. If what you're telling me is true, that this man is a psychopathic serial killer who holds no remorse for his victims, and that he became this way, not because of his extreme disfiguration, but because of the death of his family? Yes, I pity him. Especially if his only outlet is to brutally murder others with no cause. It's sad."

Ugh. She really _was_ getting soft.

It was silent for a moment before he gave a soft and thoughtful,_ "Hm. I've never thought of it that way before. That's... That's really sweet of you, Rae."_

She scoffed and looked to the window. "Yup, that's me. The sweet, lovable half-demon from another dimension who nearly brought on the end of all mankind as we knew it. Just call me '_Cherry_'."

_"Raven," _he chided with a laugh. _"That's not true. You're very sweet."_

Another scoff made its way out of her mouth, but a smile grew. Even if she did not really believe it, it was nice to hear. "Thanks."

He made a noncommittal sound._ "I guess I should let you go now. But... Just listen. I know how much you hate scary stories-"_

"I hate scary _movies_," she corrected.

_"But you're brilliant, and everyone knows that with a brilliant mind comes a vivid imagination. A scary story can just as easily turn into a horror movie with a brain like yours. Just... Just call me if you have a nightmare. Okay? You know I'll pick up."_

Raven hesitated as she continued to watch her ceiling. The usual, _"I don't need you to take care of me"_, was right on the tip of her tongue. She ran a hand through her hair, and with a sigh, she turned to lay onto her side once again. "I know. Maybe I should have saved story time for when the sun was out."

There was not an_ 'I told you so' _or any arrogance in his response, not even a hint. Instead, there was a comforting laugh.

With a smile, she shut her eyes. "Don't leave yet. Okay?"

_"Of course. I'm always here for you, Cherry."_

"I wasn't serious about that, you spoiled brat."

He laughed.

_**.**_

_Ring! Ring!_

"Hello?"

_"Raven, you snored _so _hard last night."_

"...you call, and this is the first thing you say to me?"

_"You were all,"_ he followed with a variation of snorting and choking sounds.

"Richard, you are so _spoiled_!"

He laughed._ "_You're_ the one who fell asleep with the phone on!"_

**_._**

The moment that Beast Boy changed his moniker to _Changeling_ in order to declare his newfound adulthood, and even newly found _manhood_, was the very same moment it became clear that, collectively and as a group, the team was growing up. They were no longer kids, no longer reckless teenagers who fought crime for a living. Now, they were reckless _youths_, bordering on the strip that sat right between adolescence and adulthood, who chose to dedicate their lives to fighting for justice, destroying evil, and to the protection of all citizens. Because of this, all four members decided that it was due time for a necessary change.

Cyborg took ahold of his authority as the stand-in leader and declared that the _Teen Titans _were no more.

They were now _The Titans,_ guardians of Jump City, and wherever else they were called for duty.

Richard approved of the decision, praising Cyborg's take-charge attitude. But it was not like he could do anything even if he did _not_ approve. Not only was he all the way in Gotham, but simply put, he was no longer the leader. And he had not been the leader for one full year and a few months.

"Do you think that he is coming back?"

Raven's brow jumped at the question, but her eyes remained shut, allowing her to fully appreciate the soft strokes of the brush that Starfire was currently running through her deep plum colored locks. Surprisingly enough, she actually let it grow out, only to come to the disheartening discovery that long hair was pretty high maintenance and bothersome to care for, even of all she did was keep it in a messy bun at the nape of her neck. It was not as long as Starfire's, but it was much longer than Raven was used to. For this reason, and this reason alone, she allowed her friend to care for the thick tresses for her. That, and because having someone other than herself messing with her hair felt pretty good.

"Who?"

"Robin," Starfire answered from behind Raven. She hesitated in her brushing, the shuffling of her knees making the cushioning of the couch underneath them both bounce a bit, before she resumed brushing. "Well, if he is even _still_ Robin. Beastboy is now _Changeling_, so I would not be very surprised if Robin would now be working under a new name."

Raven finally opened her eyes, and the common room came into view. From her seat on the couch and through the great window, she could see that it was a beautiful day outside. The sun was bright and shining from up above, the skies and the seas were both just a _touch_ bluer, and she could have sworn that the birds were still chirping, continuing their songs from the early morning. While Cyborg and Changeling actually abandoned their video games to go out and enjoy the weather, both Starfire and Raven elected to enjoy the sunshine and the view from inside, through the window.

In other words: _girl time_.

Those two words put together to create that very phrase used to make Raven so uncomfortable. It used to make her cringe and shudder. But now... she actually _liked _it. The thought of girl time did not make her uncomfortable, cringe _or _shudder. It made her _very_ comfortable. In fact, she _reveled_ in girl time. A lot.

The tips of Starfire's fingers gathered up the left side of Raven's hair, preparing to begin a braid, and a smile grew onto Raven's face. "I wouldn't be surprised, either. But why would you think that he's not coming back? He said that he would be."

The other woman sighed. "Yes, this is true. But he has been gone for one full Earth year and a few months. That is almost _two_ full Earth years. He is your best friend. Does it not upset you that you have not seen him in so long? That he has been gone for much longer than he said he would be?"

"Yes." And this was the truth. It pissed her off that he was gone for so long, after he _specifically_ and _distinctly_ told her, word for word: _just a few months, enough to get Bruce off of my back._ Starfire was right -_ 'just a few months' _was quickly about to become two years. With a roll of her eyes, Raven shut them. "I can't force him to come back. I mean, I definitely could. He can't stop babying me; all I have to do is say the word, and he'll get on his pretty, little bike."

Starfire laughed, probably because she knew that it was true.

"But that wouldn't be fair to him. I don't own him." Not technically, anyway. "He said that he would be coming back, so I believe him."

Even _she_ was having a pretty hard time believing that, and it all came out of_ her _mouth.

As she continued her braiding, Starfire hummed contemplatively. She sighed. "I suppose so," she spoke quietly before releasing a short giggle. A _girly_ giggle. "I had the _biggest_ crush on him when we were younger. Did you know?"

Oh, how Raven _loved_ girl time. She snorted. "Did I _know_? We _all_ knew. Jump City knew. _Tokyo_ knew. Star, I wouldn't be surprised if _Gotham_-"

"Raven!" Starfire gasped with a laugh, one that prompted a little laugh to leave the other woman's lips. She tugged on the end of the braid playfully before she began to braid the other half. "Perhaps I did make it a _little_ obvious. But he was my first Earth friend and was so kind to me. I have never been one to shield my emotions, and he certainly did evoke such _strong_ emotions from within me. I could not help myself."

Another smile crept onto Raven's face. That was, without a doubt, the prettiest way that she had ever heard anyone say that someone turned them on. "I know. I like that about you."

"Thank you."

The bright smile shined through her voice, and it only made Raven's stretch across her face. "He liked you, too, you know. And believe me, he wasn't making it any_ less _obvious than you were."

Starfire giggled again. "I know that now, after we both decided that it would be better for us to remain friends."

This was not the first time that they had spoken about this. After all, the first and cardinal rule of girl time _was_ talking about boys, and Raven did not mind that. Especially since Richard was always so hesitant to speak about his crush, and this was the _only_ thing that he was always hesitant to speak of with Raven.

_"...in conclusion, that was, without a doubt, t__he most embarrassingly blatant display of a puppy dog crush known to man."_

_"Richard, don't be so dramatic. Star is very pretty."_

_"I'm not denying that. I just-" A shudder. Then a mortified, "Let's go out for ice cream or something."_

_A pause._

_"Hey, Rae, what's the definition of _blatant_?"_

"Is it better?"

"Much better." Starfire, in comparison, was an open book who took pride in all that she did, and was eager to answer any question that anyone was willing to ask her, no matter what it was. "He is a very good friend of mine, and I care for him, but he is much too intense for me, and I would not be able to handle him."

Raven almost nodded before remembering that she was getting her hair done. "I agree. He is a pretty intense person, but he has been through a lot."

"And _you_ handle him _very_ well."

Raven's upper lip curled in disgust. Her _handling_ Richard? She fought the shudder. "Ew."

Starfire laughed. "Now that I think about it, I think that even _Changeling_ would make a much more fitting mate for me. He is not so serious, like me. He is lighthearted, like me. He can change into cute animals if I am ever sad. And he is also _green_. Green would be a _lovely_ color to wake up to every morning, do you agree?"

The corners of Raven's mouth quirked up and her brows arched as her eyes slid open. "Star... Do you have a _crush_ on _Changeling_?"

"No." She paused. "Especially if you would have a problem with it."

The shudder escaped. "_No_, Starfire. _Ew_. That's worse than what you said about Robin."

"Then, I am simply thinking. Although... Changeling _has_ grown up to be quite handsome."

Now, _that_, Raven could agree to. Changeling was an annoying, little nuisance when they were younger, but even _she_ could admit that at eighteen, he was a _fine_ specimen of the male species. As annoying as he still was, not quite as much as he used to be, it was pretty nice to have some eye candy around.

Starfire lightly tugged on the end of the braid, signifying that she was done, and Raven turned to face her on the couch. There was a small smile on her face, paired with equally flushed cheeks that seemed to match her tanned complexion perfectly. It was pretty.

As a smile was fighting its way out, Raven crossed her legs, folding one over the other onto the couch as she leaned back onto her palms. "So, Robin is _definitely _over."

Starfire nodded. "Robin is over."

"Has Changeling begun?"

"Changeling has not begun. _Yet_."

Raven's smile escaped. She liked that '_yet_'. "I won't tell."

Starfire's smile grew and she nodded in thanks. "There is something _else _that I have been thinking of. Quite frequently, actually," she began. She leaned forward, eyes wide and inquisitive. "Have I ever told you my birth name?"

Raven blinked, shirking back in surprise. Now that she thought about it, she really did not know Starfire's birth name. She simply assumed that this was how children were named on the alien's home planet. The only person on this team whose real name she truly knew was Richard's. So, she shook her head. "No. You haven't, and you don't have to divulge something so personal if you don't want to."

"Oh, no. I _want_ to," Starfire argued with a shake of her head. She reached over to place a hand over Raven's knee. "You are my close friend and teammate, and you are very dear to me. We met when I was in my fifteenth year, and I am now in my nineteenth. I will be entering my twentieth in one Earth year. It is only right that you should know my birth name, and I trust you."

Raven took in a breath and looked to down her knee, watching Starfire's hand before meeting the other woman's eyes. She nodded. "Thank you."

Starfire's smile softened and she pulled her hand away. "When I first met you and the others, I did not think that I would be here for so long. This is why I called myself 'Starfire'. But you have all become my family, and this has become my home. My birth name is Koriand'r, and I would like it if you called me by _my_ name from now on."

"Koriand'r," Raven sounded out carefully, allowing the strange, new syllables to roll around her tongue. "That's beautiful. I would tell you my real name, but Raven_ is_ my real name."

_Koriand'r_ laughed, the sound twinkling its way into the air as her face glowed, and Raven decided that with a laugh like that, 'Koriand'r' was a fitting name. "Do not worry, friend. Your name is also beautiful."

A low chuckle escaped Raven and she smiled. It was always so easy to smile around her. "Thanks. Maybe we can bully the guys into telling us their real names once they get back."

Koriand'r flew into the air, hovering above the couch as she clapped her hands. She laughed and spun around. "Splendid!"

**_._**

"_Garfield_? Like the fat, orange _cat_?"

"Dude, don't _even_ try to play _me_ out. _Your_ name is _Victor_. What kind of nerdy, _dork-loser_ name is _that_? Heh, amiright, ladies?"

"Raven, if you do not mind, what is the definition of the word 'victor'?"

"Victor, a noun, is defined as 'one who defeats an enemy or opponent in a battle, game, or competition. A conqueror'."

"Garfield, I pray that you do not take any offense to this, but the name fits Friend Victor quite well."

"_Koriiiiii_, you're supposed to be on _my_ side! And wipe that _stupid_ nerdy, _dork-loser _smile off of your face, _Victor_!"

"Garfield, your name fits you, too."

"Really? Well, what's the meaning of mine?"

"I don't know, but you _can_ turn into a green cat that's just as fat as the orange one."

"Oh, my- _Raven_!"

Kori and Victor laughed.

_**.**_

Patience. It was something that Raven was very good with.

_Normally_, anyway.

As a young child in Azerath, one who was born with the blood of the underworld's most powerful demon running through her veins and fueling her abilities, she was trained in the art of patience - both rigorously and almost _exhaustively_. This was what she was taught, to react toward everything with an attitude of _patience_. To think, live and grow _in_ patience with an attitude _of_ patience _and_ tolerance, and this was how her mantra came to be.

_Azerath, Metrion, Zinthos. _

This was a tool _ingrained_ into her in order to help her maintain this attitude of patience. To _make sure _that she maintained it.

But she did not know how much more patient she could be with her best friend's absence. She was bothered by it, yes, but not _because_ of his absence. It was because of what was happening _while_ he was gone. Her friends, her team, her_ family_, they were all on a first name basis. A _birth name_ basis. They were closer now than they had _ever_ been before, and while _they_ were steadily continuing to grow closer each day, her _best friend_ was long gone, _his_ own name _still_ a mystery to everyone else but her. Even her own words, the words that came out of _her_ mouth with the use of _her _tongue and _her_ lips, she began to doubt.

_"He said that he would be coming back, so I believe him."_

And even _she_ believed, despite _all_ of his claims, that he would not return.

_**.**_

Raven awoke with a start.

Although, she did not open her eyes. She did not _want_ to open her eyes. She absolutely _refused_ to open her eyes. She did not even want to know what time it was, because what she _wanted_ was to be _asleep_. She _wanted to go back to sleep_, but she could not because _something_ woke her up. She was awake, wide awake, and did not know _why_.

The last time that she woke up with such a start, it was all due to Trigon and his incessant need to constantly nag and remind her of his return - as if _she_ did not know (hell-_ooo_, she was the _portal_ that brought him back). Each and every time those threats woke her up, they were accompanied by feelings of danger. Feelings that projected an onslaught of evil, arrogance and dominance. The vibes and feelings that she was currently receiving did not feel like any of those things, not even a little bit. This all felt very familiar and very friendly.

Right now, she felt warmth and kindness. This aura that pulled her away from her slumber exuded love. It exuded protection. And although it all felt very nice, she _did_ seem to be picking up a bit of arrogance. Actually, now that she thought about it, she was definitely picking up a whole_ lot _of arrogance that was lurking in the midst of those warm and fuzzy feelings. This arrogance was a _different_ sort of arrogance, one that could only come from someone...

Someone _spoiled_.

With a silent prayer to the gods above that this was not some sort of a sick joke, or even a dream, Raven cracked an eye open - only to find herself face to face with Richard.

"Boo."

Raven peaked at the clock that sat on the dresser right beside him.

_3:00_, it read.

Oh, he just _had_ to be kidding.

Quite honestly, Raven was much less concerned with the fact that he had been crouched at her bedside for a period of time that only the gods and goddesses from up above had the knowledge of, just watching and waiting for her to wake up, because he just _knew_ that she would, like the spoiled and entitled _rotten_ brat that he was. No, she was a _lot_ more concerned with the discovery that he had his hair tied up into one of those _stupid_, little _buns_, sitting right on the top of his head.

And for this, she did not reach out to hug him. She did not crack a tiny, little smile, or tell him a witty line that had something do to with how much of a _surprise_ his return certainly was. She did not even think to question how the alarms, the ones that Victor himself had updated not too long ago, were not set off.

Instead, she opened both eyes, her brows knitting and her upper lip curling in disgust before she could stop it. Not that she _would_ actually make an attempt to do so at this point. "What happened to your hair?"

He seemed a little disappointed by her reaction - or lack thereof. He reached up, poking a finger at the roll of hair sitting on the top of his head. "What? You don't like it?"

That was not what Raven said. If anything, she now had a _second_ piece of eye candy to make the rainy days brighter now that he was back with that new hairdo. "I didn't say that."

He arched a dark brow and leaned forward, a smug smile playing at his lips. "So, you _do_ like it?"

Raven tried to smile, but it did not reach her eyes. It did not even reach her mouth, and her lips _barely_ managed to even twitch. After almost two years, how could he just waltz into her room and pull her out of her sleep with a _pleasant_ conversation about whether she liked his _hair_ or not - as if he had never even been gone in the first place? "I don't like that you're prettier than I am now. The competition was already stiff enough before you grew your hair out."

Richard threw his head back just a bit and released a jovial laugh, allowing her to smell the fading scent of toffee nut coffee on his breath, and she could _distinctly_ tell that his hair was not the only change. His laughter was deeper than it usually sounded over the phone, and significantly deeper than it had been when he first left. His face was not so round and his body, not so scrawny. He was bigger, and even as he was crouched down beside her, it was obvious that he was taller by a _great_ deal.

Clearly, he had grown during his time in Gotham - he even had a tiny bit of leftover _stubble_ along the right side of his jaw, the very, same jaw that had never been _nearly _as pronounced as it was now. And was that the heady scent of- she twitched her nose, taking a sniff as she did so -_cologne_ that she was inhaling along with the toffee nut?

At nineteen years old, it was obvious that he was now a _man_. An undoubtably handsome one. Yet, even with all of these changes, and in the darkness, she could tell that this was none other than her best friend. His eyes, bright, blue and electric as ever, still held that dangerous touch of mischievousness, and his brows were still dark, full, and expressive. But although she could see through the transformation, and this certainly could be considered a _transformation_, it was all a testament to just how long he had been gone.

Raven's brows shifted ever so slightly, feelings of bitterness and anger pouring over her, drop by drop, as she took in the sight of him. "What took you so long?"

His own brows knitted in confusion, even as a smile was tugging at his lips. "What?"

Suddenly, she had the urge to punch that smile right off of his pretty, new face - clean. "Don't you dare '_what_' me. What the _hell_ took you so long?" she spat, much too infuriated to bother with the fact that she swore.

He was much too happy to take on the task for her. His smile grew into a wide grin, a low chuckle slipping out. "Raven, you just _swore_."

Raven sat up with a short growl, throwing the sheets that covered her off to the side, and he shuffled back a bit, bouncing on his haunches as his smile fell and eyes grew wide. Rage _purred_ from within her. _Good_. Because even with that pretty, new face, the fancy hair, and the cologne, he was _still_ an oblivious _boy_ - and it was pissing her off. She pushed her hair back, combing away the tendrils and stray locks that escaped the messy bun sitting at the nape of her neck. "Richard, you_ cannot_ just _waltz_ into my room at three in the morning like everything is normal."

His mouth fell open, allowing a scoff to slip out. Those bright eyes darkened, shining with offense, and that very same feeling of his began to permeate the air. "I beg your pardon? Why the hell not? And don't tell me to watch my mouth. This isn't the first time that I've done this."

"You've been gone almost for two years!" she yelled, suddenly very glad that the bedrooms were soundproofed. She planted her feet flat onto her carpeted floor and stood, prompting him to do the same. "Your hair is almost as long as mine, long enough to put into a _stupid_, little bun. You've got an even _stupider_ patch of stubble on your jaw! Starfire isn't even _Starfire_ anymore. Her _birth_ name is Koriand'r, and Cyborg's is Victor! And Changeling, _not Beast Boy_, is _Garfield Logan_!"

"What the _fuck_ does any of that have to do with _me_?!" he countered, and she took in a sharp breath because it finally clicked in her head how much taller he had grown. He was really, _really_ tall. So much taller that she almost took a step back, simply because she was not used to this gigantic version of her best friend. "You don't get to chew me out like this!"

"I beg your pardon?" she mocked him, crossing her arms.

The feelings of offense that he had previously been projecting shifted and flared into anger. He set his jaw. "This isn't fair. I told you. I told _you_, my best friend, every day that it would take some time. That I didn't mean to stay there for so long because-"

"Because Gotham is my hometown, and I'm back," she completed for him with a touch of sass. "You were back, Richard, and I _know_ that already-"

He scoffed, rolling his eyes to the side as he took a step back. "Raven, don't give me that."

She took a step forward. "Give you _what_?"

"This isn't fair! I already told you!"

She groaned in frustration, uncrossing her arms and throwing her hands into the air. It was not rare for them to argue. Honestly, how _hard_ was it for_ anyone_ to get into an argument with a brat as spoiled as _he_ was? He was her best friend, but she had never met anyone else who had the power to rile her up like this. "Not _fair_? Me calling you out isn't _fair_ to you? You are so spoiled! What about the rest of the team?! You can't just _show_ up like you never left - this wasn't a _weekend trip_! A few months ago, we all sat down together in the kitchen and told each other our real names, the names that we were given at _birth_! But _you're_ _still just Robin_ to them! _That's_ what isn't fair! We _all_ thought that you weren't coming back - including me!"

His head shot up and he looked to her, meeting her eyes, and even with the darkness of her room and the darkness that filled his own eyes, they shined so brightly. His brows knitted with a mixture of confusion, hurt and concern, and he took a step toward her. "What? No, Rae- I wouldn't- I would never just _not _come back without telling anyone. Especially not you. Come on, you- you're my best friend."

A frown began to tug at her lips, pulling them downward, and her stomach turned. He never stuttered. Even when he was laughing really hard or was just out of breath, he never stuttered as much as he just did now. "Richard-"

"I'm sorry."

She knew that he was. Her empathy allowed her to feel just how sorry he was, but their bond both amplified and multiplied it. "I know you are."

He hesitated, then arched a brow as a smile threatened to come out. "But I'm not forgiven. Am I?"

"No."

"I don't even know why I asked."

At that, he took her into his arms, enveloping her in his warmth, and she smiled whilst wrapping her arms around his middle, tucking her head very neatly under his chin. This gigantic version of Richard was not so bad. Even if his jacket still held onto the little bit of chill from the cool night, he felt very good. In fact, his new size was even better and much more accommodating. These arms that were currently holding her were a lot more comfortable than the twigs that used to do the same thing. But she would not tell him that.

He placed a kiss onto her forehead and unwound an arm from around her. "Don't worry," he spoke quietly as he wiped the spot he had kissed with the very flat of his thumb. "I got it."

A soft sigh escaped Raven and she hugged him closer, her eyes fluttering shut in bliss. She missed this, even if they did speak every day while they were separated. She missed her best friend.

He combed the very tips of his fingers through her hair and along her scalp before burying his nose into her hair. He sniffed twice. "Are you using a new shampoo?" he asked before pulling away to gently tug at a loose tendril. "Wait, my hair isn't _nearly_ as long as yours, you liar."

"Speaking of hair," she began, blatantly ignoring his accusation and his insulted scoff. "Does your new hairdo come with a new outfit?"

"Yes, it does, actually. I've received _rave_ reviews acclaiming the fact that it makes my butt look _very_ good."

"Better than your last outfit?"

"Raven," he drawled, and she immediately realized the words that came out of her own mouth. She pulled away from him, but he held her closer. There was a growing grin on his face, and her face heated up. "I didn't know that you watched my butt, little one."

Actually, both she, Koriand'r, and _sometimes_ Victor watched his butt like a sport, and he was not supposed to find out. Even with an ever flushing face, she managed to give him a good glare. "Oh, _shut up_, you spoiled brat." She pushed him off of her and made her way into her bed, ignoring his chuckles as she buried her face into her pillow. "And I am _not_ that little."

"No. Not anymore, at least," he spoke to himself through his chuckles, loud enough for her to hear, and she heard his jacket hit the floor. With a heavy sigh, he fell into the spot beside her. He settled himself into the bed, shuffling a bit, before he released a quieter and more contented sigh. "Don't worry, Rae. You've got a pretty nice butt, too."

A smile grew and she dug her face deeper into her pillow in an attempt to smother it. "How would _you_ know? You haven't seen it in two years."

"_Almost_ two years."

"_Richard_."

Another chuckle escaped him. "Fine, fine."

With a shake of her head, Raven removed her face from its spot in her pillow and rested her cheek on it to look at him, only to find him watching her. He probably thought that she was going to suffocate with her face in that pillow, or something. Laying back on the bed with his denim clad legs crossed at his bare ankles, the plain white T-shirt that he wore was being stretched across his chest by a broadness that fit his new height perfectly. The pillow underneath him was folded, and his own hands were folded beneath his head, a few fingers tucked into his hair. His eyes, bright, blue and electric as ever, twinkled with a familiar mirth as he watched her closely. He really was handsome now, and this was not to say that he was _not_ handsome before, because he was. This _new_ handsomeness was just different. More mature. And this maturity practically screamed, _"MAN!" _He would have a _great_ host of new fangirls - especially with that hair.

"I like the hair."

"Even with the _stupid_ bun?"

"Even with the _stupid_ bun."

His mouth turned up and into a smug smile, because he_ just knew_ it, and she rolled her eyes with a scoff, turning around in her bed to face her back toward him. He laughed and reached over, poking a finger into the messy bun that sat at the nape of her neck and collected her mass of hair, before he pulled a tendril loose. Very gently, he tugged on it as he did his inspection. "Thanks. I've never seen your hair this long before. I didn't even know that it could grow past your _shoulders_, let alone reach mid-back. I like your hair, too."

Silence.

"What? No 'thank you'?"

She bit at the smile that tugged on her lips, but remained quiet.

He snorted. "Who's the spoiled brat now?"

Her powers shot out toward him, and he released her hair, right before he fell off of the bed and onto the floor with a _thud _and a graceful, "_Fuck._"

A little giggle escaped her before she could stop it, and she ignored the groan he emitted whilst crawling back into the bed.

"Fine. Good night," he said before adding a panicked, "And you_ don't _have to return to sentiment."

With a tiny smile, Raven shut her eyes and pulled the sheet closer to herself as she dug her body deeper into the bed. "Good night, Richard."

"Try not to snore too much this time, Cherry."

"I wasn't seriou-! _Ugh_! Richard, you are _so spoiled_!"

He simply laughed, reaching over once again to tug on the same lock of hair that he had loosened from her bun.


End file.
